john h



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR CORNWELL, OF SAME PLACE.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters mat no. 609,849, dated. August so, 1898.

Application filed January 4, 1 89 8.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN H. TORNEY, 0 WVashington, in the District of Oolumbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices for Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to signal devices for lamps, and more particularly to means for denoting the extinguishment of bicycle-lamps.

It is a matter well known to bicycle-riders that the lamp on the machine frequently becomes extinguished without the knowledge of the rider, his attention being concentrated rather on objects in the street or read some distance in front of him than directly upon his lamp.

It is the object of my invention, therefore, to provide means whereby when a lamp be-V comes extinguished a bell will be automatic ally sounded, so as to warn the rider that his lamp should be relighted.

With this object in view the invention con: sists in the combination, with a lamp, of a signal and an intermediate connection be; tween the signal and the burner of the lamp, whereby to cause the operation of the signal when the light on the burner becomes extinguished,

My invention further consists in the combination with a lamp and a signal of a thermostatic strip, disposed in proximity to the burner of the lamp and a connection between said thermostatic strip and the signal, whereby to hold said signal at rest while the lamp is burning and release it when the lamp becomes extinguished.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of a lamp, showing the application of my improvements thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section, and Fig. 3 a detail,

A represents a lamp, which for convenience Serial no. 665,527. (No model.)

i of illustration is represented as a bicyclelamp, although my improvements are equally applicable to other lamps-such, for instance, as are used for signal purposes on cars, lighthouses, and other places. A stout bar 1 is secured within the body of the lamp close to the wick tube 2 and is provided at its respective ends with upturned arms 3, to which the re- ,spective ends of a thermostatic strip 4 is secured, said strip being thus disposed in close proximity to the wick, so as to be affected by the blaze thereon. A portion of the thermostatic strip is made to bear directly against the wick-tube, so that it cannot bow toward the wick-tube, but will be compelled to bow awayfrom it when heated, for a purpose which will presently be made apparent. A frame 5 is secured to the lamp by means of screws or other suitable fastening devices and supports a bell 6. The frame 5 also supports a clock mechanism (or rather a portion of such a mechanism) to constitute a motor for operating the bell-hammer; This clock or motor mechanism comprises an escapement-wheel '7, a spring 8, gearing between said spring and escapement-wheel, and a pallet to cooperate with the escapement-wheel. The arbor on which the spring is mounted willpreferably be provided with a key 9, by means of which to wind said spring, and the motor mechanism will be inclosed bya suitable casing 10. The hammer 11 of thebell is attached to the arbor 12 of the pallet, and to this arbor an arm 13 is also secured. The arml3 is" normally supported in a horizontal positionjust under a horizontally-disposed pin or rod 14, which passes loosely through the Wall of the lamp and is secured at its inner end to the thermostatic strip 4. From the construction andarrangement of parts above described it will be seen that when the lamp is lighted the heat from the flame will cause the thermo static bar to be expanded and bow outwardly, (said strip being prevented from bowing toward the wick-tube by engagement therewith, as above explained,) thereby moving the pin or rod 14 so as to cause it to project over the arm 13 and prevent the operationof the motor, said pin' or rod Maud arm 13 thus con stituting a trip mechanism for the motor.

When the motor shall have thus become locked, the spring may be wound and the motor will remain at rest as long as the lamp is burning. As soon as the light becomes extinguished (thus'removing heat from the thermostatic strip) said strip 4 will immediately contract and 'move toward the wick-tube, thus withdrawing the pin orrod 14 away from the arm 13. The motor will thus be freed and the bell will be sounded, so as to give the warning that the light has become extinguished.

Actual experiment has demonstrated that the release of the motorand the consequent ringing of the signal is practically simultaneous with the extinguishment of the light, and that as long as the lamp is burning the motor is positively held at rest.

While my improvements are particularly adaptable for bicycle-lamps, it is evident that they may be applied to any other kind of lamp and are very valuable with lamps on cars or at other places where the lights are liable to become extinguished. I wish it understood, therefore, that I do not limit myself to the application of my invention to any particular form of'lamp.

If desired, the motor may be wound be.- fore lighting the lamp by merely locking the motor mechanism by means of a pin 15, inserted through the motor-casing. After the lamp shall have been lit and the thermostatic strip shall have become sufficiently expanded to cause the motor to be locked, as above explained, the pin 15 may be withdrawn. After the lamp has been used the pin 15 may be pushed in to lock the motor before the user extinguishes his light, whereby the ringing of the bell will be prevented and will so remain until the lamp is to be again used. After the lamp shall have been lit the user will withdraw the pin 15 and the alarm-controlling devices will be in working order. Thus it will be seen that the user is not compelled to wind up the motor very often.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein described.

Having fully described my invention, what 'I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a lamp, of a signal carried thereby and an intermediate connection between the signal and the burner of the lamp, whereby to cause the operation of the signal when the light on the burner becomes extinguished,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a lamp and a signal carried thereby, of a thermostatic strip disposed in proximity to the burner of the lamp and a connection between saidthermostatic strip and the signal, whereby to hold said signal at rest while the lamp is burning and release it when the lamp becomes extinguished.

3. The combination with a lamp and an audible signal carried thereby, of a motor for said signal carried by the lamp, a thermostatic strip disposed in proximity to the burner of the lamp, and a device connected with said thermostatic strip and with the motor for releasing the latter and causing the signal to be sounded when the flame on the burner becomes extinguished, substantially as set forth.

4. Thecombination with a burner, of a thermostatic strip secured at its ends and adapted to bear at a point between its ends against said burner, a signal, a motor for saidsignal, a trip for the motor and a connection between said trip and the thermostatic strip, whereby when the burner is lighted the motor will be locked and when thelight becomes extinguished the motor will be released so as to operate the signal, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a burner and a thermostatic strip permanently located in proximity thereto, of a signal, a motor for the signal, an arm connected with said motor and a pin or rod attached to the thermostatic strip and adapted to control the movement of said arm whereby to control the op- .eration of the motor, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a lamp and the wick-tube, of a bar secured in the lamp and having upturned arms at its ends, a thermostatic strip secured at its ends to said arms and extending past the upper end of the wick-tube, a motor, a signal to be sounded by said motor, and a pin or rod attached to the thermostatic strip and projecting into the motor whereby to control the operation of the latter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JOHN H. TORNEY.

Witnesses:

F. H. BRONAUGH, H. H. BROGDEN. 

